California is set to become the first state to offer healthcare coverage to some adults living illegally in the country, according to USA Today.
The state's legislative leaders approved Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's $98 million plan, which aims to cover nearly 100,000 low-income adults. Under the plan, immigrants ages 19 to 25 would become eligible for California's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. Mr. Newsom rejected a previous plan to include adults age 65 and older in the proposal due to cost.
In addition, the plan would make California the first in the nation to subsidize insurance for middle-income families. Under the plan, a family of four earning more than $150,000 a year, or up to six times the federal poverty level, could get $100 each month to help pay for health insurance, according to USA Today.
To pay for the health insurance expansions, California plans to tax residents who don't have health insurance, similar to the ACA's now-axed individual mandate.
The full legislature still has to sign off on the plan.
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